


If You've Got the Money, I've Got the Time

by vulpixel



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Western, F/F, Mild Sexual Content, yeehaw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 20:40:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29159781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vulpixel/pseuds/vulpixel
Summary: Leonie desperately needs to pay off her bar tab, and a rich man offers her a job given she is able to bs her way into success. Dorothea bullies her the entire time. Constance is there too.aka come join me into niche rarepair hell :P
Relationships: Leonie Pinelli/Constance Von Nuvelle
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> there is a brief snake death that i didnt rlly describe in great detail but warning ya just in case

Leonie sits at the bar downing a beer. It's a hot day, and the lukewarm drink does little to quench her thirst, but it does wonders for her sobriety. She tips her head back and polishes off her second glass. It slams onto the counter. She wipes her mouth and waves the bartender over.

"Dorothea, darlin', I would love another drink," she calls sweetly.

"You want another already?" The bartender asks with a frown. She idly wipes a glass in her hands.

"Yes please."

"Can you pay for it?" She questions her, voice laced with suspicion.

"Can you add it to my tab?"

"You didn't pay your tab last week. I'm not letting you sweet talk your way out of this again," Dorothea says, "It's comin' out of my paycheck, and I'm not having that."

"I could make it up to you," Leonie replies, voice soft as silk. She bats her eyelashes for extra effect.

Dorothea answers abruptly, "No. Get a job."

"I can't! There's no work around here! No one buys beef anymore. There's nothin' to transport."

"Don't be so sure. I heard the Nuvelle estate is hiring cattle herders the next town over."

"We're called 'cowboys'," Leonie corrects her.

"Whatever, cowboy. Go check it out. I know he'll pay you a good dollar to fetch him some cows. Hadn’t you worked for him last summer?"

"That's great and all, but how do you expect me to pay tonight's tab if I won't get a paycheck for another week?" She asks.

Dorothea sighs, "I'll cover your tab tonight. But this is the last time. No exceptions. If you come back here again without money, I've got two barrels and an itching trigger finger that would love to have a little chat with you."

The woman shoots her an icy glare. Leonie swallows nervously. She instinctively straightens her back and tugs at her suddenly tight collar. "Yes, ma'am! I’ll leave town first thing in the morning."

Again, the bartender smiles sweetly. "Good girl. I believe in you."

\----

The sun beats down hot. Leonie wipes the sweat from her brow and puts her hat back on. She heads to the one place she knows she'll find work. Hopefully. It was a day's worth of travel; she better find something. If not, she’ll eat her hat, mostly because she won’t be able to afford much else.

A sign hangs over the entrance. The old wood starts to chip and splinter, and the paint begins to fade off. It reads 'Nuvelle Ranch', a large farm home to the biggest herd of cows in town. The owner, Douglas Von Nuvelle, rarely shows his face but pays a pretty penny to anyone who can wrangle him a cow. Luckily, Leonie has two specific traits: wrangles cows and needs money. She's perfect for the job.

"We're not searching for any farmhands at the moment," the head rancher says to her.

Fuck. Leonie crosses her arms, trying not to act disappointed. "Well, are ya searching for anything else? I can do quite a bit besides look pretty. Hell, I'll be Nuvelle's personal footstool if it pays decent."

The man purses his lip as he thinks. "I know he is not looking for a maid at the moment, but rumor has it he might be looking into a protected caravan. Are you any good with a gun?"

"Am I good with a gun?" Leonie scoffs. She has never shot a gun in her life. "Of course I am. I'm a regular sharpshooter. I can shoot with my eyes closed.”

"Stick around. I'll see what I can get ya."

“Thank you, sir.”

So Leonie sticks around. It's not like she has anything better to do. She spends her afternoon watching the cows in the field while the sun boils her alive. Eventually, the rancher returns.

"Mr. Nuvelle would like to see you," he says.

At that, Leonie perks up. "Take me to him."

Leonie has never stepped foot in a mansion before. The house is much bigger than any barn and certainly much nicer. Instead of the usual reek of animal filth and dust, it smells... clean. Like fresh air with a hint of lemon. Garish paintings line the walls, all portraits. Leonie catches herself staring at a family photo. Her eyes fall first to Von Nuvelle's wife. She nudges the man next to her eagerly.

"Mrs. Nuvelle's pretty hot if you get what I mean." She grins, waggling her eyebrows.

"She's dead," the man answers plainly, "But if you wish to dig up her grave for a fun night, who am I to stop you?"

"Oh." Leonie looks back to the painting, this time examining Von Nuvelle's daughter. "How about his daughter?"

"Very much alive."

She opens her mouth to speak, but the man stops her, giving her a concerned look. "That's enough of that."

They reach a large doorway. The frame is ornate with intricate carvings that are extremely unnecessary given its purpose. Leonie pays it little attention as she steps inside.

"You must be the cowboy," a hefty voice greets her as she steps in.

Leonie has never seen a man more well fed. His face is round, and his mustache curls upward in the snootiest fashion. He looks like the world's most punchable old man fused with a newborn baby. He's lucky Leonie is looking to get paid.

"Howdy," Leonie says, not sure what else to say. She loops her fingers onto her belt and shifts her weight to one leg.

"My name is Douglas Von Nuvelle. Please refer to me as Sir," the man replies, "Now, if I am correct, you came here looking for work."

"That's right."

"And you're a gun for hire?"

Leonie's got one on either side of her, and quite impressive ones at that. It is _technically_ not a lie. "Yes, sir."

"You're hired. Now, would you happen to know anyone else in your line of business?" He asks.

She perks up at that. "Maybe I do. Why do you need to know?"

"I'm used to hiring farmers, not mercenaries. I don't think this particular job will get dangerous, but I won't take any chances with cargo this precious to me."

What the hell kind of cows is he moving? Leonie laughs. “You sound like I’m gonna be transporting your daughter.”

“You are.”

“Oh. _Oh_.”

He can’t be serious.

"My daughter, Constance, is my only daughter to my deceased wife, so I care about her more than the world. Why, if anything happened to her I would... I would..." His hands start to shake. He coughs, and his demeanor returns to normal. "My most sincerest apologies. I let myself get carried away.

Oh, god. He is serious.

"Understandable, sir. You need the best protection for someone so dear to you. It's a good thing you got me for the job,” Leonie says with confidence. She pounds her own chest.

At that, he laughs loud enough to shake the room. "I like your confidence, Pinelli. Come back in two days, and the caravan will be ready to leave by then. You'll embark at sunrise, and take her all the way to Adrestia. Bring a friend. I'll pay you both heavenly."

Leonie likes the sound of that. "Thank you, sir. I'll see you then."

\----

"I am not going with you on a trip across two states," Dorothea says, "I'll lose my job."

"But think of it this way. You'll get to spend time with me," Leonie replies with her suave powers of persuasion.

The woman seems unconvinced. "I would much prefer to stay here instead of leaving myself to die in the desert."

"He's paying twenty dollars for a week trip, and then twenty dollars back."

"Twenty dollars? For each trip?"

Leonie nods. "Yup."

Her friend spits out her drink. She reconsiders her life choices. "So all I have to do is show up?"

"Yep. You're gonna ride a horse next to a wagon all day and all night," Leonie explains.

"Shit. I chose the wrong profession."

"So, you're coming with me?"

"For that kind of money? Wouldn't miss it for the world."

“And here I thought you wanted to spend some quality time with your best friend.” Leonie rolls her eyes.

\----

The sun still hasn't risen when they arrive. They find the caravan set up by the mansion. Horses stand at the ready with a few cowboys around to help. They watch the two newcomers with interest.

"Good mornin'. Well, almost morning," Leonie greets them all.

She recognizes only one man whose name she can only vaguely remember. He walks up to meet them.

"Mornin', Leonie." The man tips his hat to her. "I see you brought a friend."

"Ah, yes. This is my most trusted partner, Dorothea."

Dorothea holds her hand out. "Nice to meet you, sir."

The man returns the gesture. "Much obliged. The name's Ashe."

Ashe! Leonie clearly remembers his name now.

"Are you comin' with us on this trip?" She asks.

Ashe shakes his head. "Someone has to keep everything in order while the Nuvelle daughter is away. Don't be fooled. Mr. Nuvelle may own the estate, but I run everything. This place would be lost without me and my partner. I'd let someone else do it, but frankly, we’re the only ones fit for the job.."

"I respect that. Maybe when I get back we can go out for a drink. My treat."

"You never invite me to go out for drinks," Dorothea says disappointedly.

"Because you're my ba- er- best friend." Leonie slaps her on the shoulder for no particular reason. “Also, I’m broke.”

"I'll introduce you to the other cowboys," Ashe says, "You'll be working in a team of seven not including Miss Nuvelle. There's ten horses in total. Do not exhaust them and take care of them better than you would yourself."

For Leonie, that's not saying much.

He continues, "We've already packed enough supplies that should last the first few days. Use them sparingly, and don't be afraid to stop into passing towns for more. Khalid is in charge of the finances. You don’t gotta worry about a thing."

"Sounds simple enough," Leonie says.

"Remember, you're here to protect Miss Nuvelle. If she dies, you die. It won’t be by my hand, but I certainly won’t do anything to stop it."

"I wouldn't dream of letting anyone put a hand on her," she assures him. She stands tall and confident, but a shiver runs down her spine.

"Good. Now, before we get started, I have a gift from Mr. Nuvelle." Ashe hands her a leather holster. She stares at it confusedly until she realizes there is a gun inside it. "He was confused as to why a hired gun didn't carry a gun, so he took it upon himself to provide you one. It’s top of the line too."

"Oh! Well, send him my regards." Leonie awkwardly holds it in her hands. Dorothea nudges her, and she then fastens the holster around her hip. It feels odd, and immediately she worries if it is loaded. However, she has no way of checking that doesn't involve potentially shooting her own foot or someone else. So she decides not to touch it.

Next, Ashe introduces them to the crew. They all stand around the wagon waiting. All eyes fall upon them as they approach. One whistles. He puts his hands on his belt and nonchalantly saunters over.

"Finally, we got some ladies on the team," he says, wiggling his eyebrows in a way most unpleasant. He runs his hand through his red hair. "My name's Sylvain. It's a pleasure to meet you both, and I can't wait to get to know each of you on a much more personal level."

At that moment, a short woman comes up and harshly punches him in the gut. He doubles over in pain, but she does not seem particularly worried. Instead, she looks to the pair like nothing happened.

"My name is Edelgard." She extends her hand out to them.

Dorothea shoves Leonie out of the way to greet her first. Her voice bubbles with a honey-like sweetness. "My name's Dorothea. It's an absolute pleasure to meet you."

"You as well."

With a slight bow, she brings the woman's hand to her lips and gently kisses it. Edelgard does not react. She puts her hand back on her hip once Dorothea lets go.

"I'm Leonie," Leonie adds in in case anyone forgot about her. Dorothea certainly has.

"Nice to meet you too," Edelgard says, nodding politely.

To Leonie's disappointment, Edelgard seems to be the only other woman on their team. Three other men stand by the wagon. One tends to the horses while the other two seem to be engaging in some sort of wrestling match. They tumble on the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. Neither of them stop as the two women approach. The man tending the horses looks up.

"Well hello there. I take it you're Leonie," he says, holding his hand out to her.

Leonie returns the gesture, squeezing right enough to make the other man a but nervous. "That's me. And this is my partner Dorothea."

"Partner?"

Her eyes go wide. "I mean in crime- wait. Work partners. Legal work partners. We do very legal things."

"Maybe I'll call you Bonnie and Clyde," the cowboy says with a wink. It feels more sincere than Sylvain's, and Leonie doesn’t immediately feel put off by his presence.

Dorothea hums, "I'd be okay with that."

"Well, Bonnie, it's nice to meet you. My name is Khalid." The man holds his hand to the woman.

Dorothea graciously takes his hand into a firm handshake. He seems genuinely surprised by her strong grip. He nonchalantly shakes his hand behind his back when they release.

Khalid looks to the two men wrestling on the ground. "Caspar! Balthus! We have company!"

The two men immediately stop. Caspar, at least Leonie guesses this is Caspar, has Balthus' arm in his mouth, teeth digging in. He promptly spits him out once Khalid calls his name.

"Howdy! I'm Caspar!" He waves to them. Leonie is two for two.

"Dorothea."

"Leonie." She politely tips her hat to him.

Balthus stands up and brushes himself off. Next to Caspar, he looks like a giant. Leonie has never seen such a large man before. And his hair flows like a horse's mane, adding at least two inches to his height. The buttons of his shirt threaten to launch off at any moment.

"It's nice to meet you both. My name is Balthus." His voice bellows in a low rumble.

"You as well," Dorothea replies.

With that, there is one last person to meet. However, she is nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Miss Nuvelle?" Leonie asks.

"She'll be here soon," Ashe says.

Leonie can't help but wonder what this elusive Lady Nuvelle is like. This entire trip is dedicated to protecting her from the unknown. Leonie doesn't even know why they are making the trek in the first place. All she knows is she is getting paid, and that's what matters.

Then, the mansion doors swing open, and a woman walks out. Her face is obscured with an umbrella, but Leonie can make out the ends of blonde hair with an accent of purple. The woman walks at a quick gait, but her steps seem unsure. Her posture slumps, and a frown is permanently stuck on her face. A shroud of misery encompasses her, and Leonie can feel it from a mile away. Somehow, Leonie finds her disturbing presence somewhat alluring. She alludes it to a morbid curiosity.

"Miss Nuvelle! We have been eagerly awaiting your arrival," Ashe says charmingly. He holds his hand out to the woman.

Gingerly, she takes it with her own gloved hand. "I apologize to have kept you waiting. You should have left without me."

"Miss Nuvelle, I know you mean well, but the trip would be for nothing if you weren't there."

"It's okay. I am already nothing. I'm sorry I have given you the burden of having to be around me."

What the fuck. Is the first thought Leonie has.

Even Sylvain seems turned off by the woman's depressive behavior. He takes a step back as Constance comes closer. Leonie takes this as her opportunity to get to know her. A little charm can go a long way, and perhaps make the trip a little less miserable for everyone.

"Hello, Miss Nuvelle. The name's Leonie, and this is my friend Dorothea. We're new to the crowd, but I'm sure we'll get along swimmingly," Leonie says, boasting her minimal vocabulary. She greets her with a smile and holds her hand out.

"I'm sorry to burden you with the disappointment of having to meet me. You'll forget me soon enough." Constance takes her hand and shakes it limply. Her grip is light enough Leonie would not believe it was happening if it were not for her seeing it with her very own eyes.

Leonie frowns, finding herself at a loss for words.

"That's enough formalities. Let's get out of town before noon," Edelgard says, immediately taking charge. No one seems to argue with her. She has such a powerful presence, Leonie feels she would jump off a bridge if the woman asked her to.

By now, the sun has risen. Edelgard climbs onto her horse, struggling a bit because of her height. The rest climb onto their respective horses. Leonie looks around confused.

"Where's my horse?" She asks.

"Do you know how to drive a carriage?" Edelgard responds.

"You want me to drive the carriage?"

"Yessir."

"Oh." Leonie looks back to the carriage. Constance leans against it looking like death. Edelgard stares at her a while longer until Leonie gets the message. She approaches the carriage. Constance looks at her with sad eyes.

"Why are you looking at me?" She questions her with pure agony, "I am a blight upon your vision."

"Miss Nuvelle, I'm here to help you," Leonie says, "There's no reason to moan and groan. I'll help you up."

She climbs atop the carriage seat and holds her hand out to the other woman. Constance looks at it blankly.

"Okay, I suppose," she mumbles, taking her hand. Her grip is flimsy at best. Leonie does most of the legwork. She pulls her up to sit next to her on the seat. She then moves herself to the other end to be polite. Constance does not seem to care.

With a snap of the reins, the caravan sets off. Edelgard takes the lead, blazing the path on her steed. Dorothea follows close behind her. The rest stay toward the back. A cloud of dust kicks up around them.

The carriage jumps at every bump in the road. Leonie is used to the constant movement, but Constance looks ready to die. Her face turns green instead of red. Sweat drips from her face. She hides it behind a large hat. Leonie cannot help but worry.

"Watch the road, dummy!" Comes Dorothea's voice. Leonie snaps back to attention, tugging the reins to veer the horses back onto the dirt road. Constance slumps over.

Leonie watches Dorothea longingly as she rides ahead of her. Her horse trots beside Edelgard's. They seem to be enjoying each other's company. Leonie craves company. All she wants is a conversation, but it is hard while atop a carriage and next to the woman who has a monopoly on depression. She looks to Constance who remains slumped and miserable. She seems to melt in her seat, and Leonie worries if there will be anything left of her before they reach the first town.

"Have you ever taken a trip like this before?" Leonie asks, needing to hear someone's voice. Her own will have to do.

Constance mumbles in response, "Why are you talking to me?"

"We're going to be in real close quarters for the next few days. We might as well get to know each other. I know it can get lonely out here."

"I'm not worth it. I assure you."

Her presence alone is depressing enough, but hearing her voice makes Leonie even more miserable. Still, she stays strong. Perhaps, she can lighten the mood. "I think you're worth it."

Forty dollars makes everything worth it.

"I am not."

"Wrong. You can't argue with me when I'm right."

Constance stops responding from that point on. Apparently even conversation is too much of a burden for her to carry. Leonie decides it is not worth talking to herself. They ride in silence the rest of the morning.

\----

The sun hangs high over their heads, and a dry heat sets into the air. It comes time to rest the horses. They pull off the road a ways and slow to a walk. Balthus spreads the canopy on the carriage to provide them an ounce of shade. Leonie wipes the sweat from her brow and leans against the wagon wheel. Her legs splay out in front of her with no regards to how much space she takes up. Dorothea sits down next to her, crossing her legs in a much more lady-like manner.

"How's the princess?" Dorothea asks, "She seems like a lovely individual."

"She's insufferable," says Leonie, starting to regret taking the job in the first place.

"That annoying?"

"She's not even annoying. She just wallows in self pity, and I don't know how to get her to hold a conversation. Just talking to her makes me want to jump off the carriage and let the horses trample me."

"Try being more charming, darling."

"That's more your thing. I can wrangle a bull no problem. Conversation is something else entirely."

"She'll warm up to you," Dorothea insists, "Speaking of, where is she?"

"Shit. Where is she?" Leonie leaps up. Her heart skips a beat. She looks around. The woman is nowhere to be seen. No one else seems to notice or care. Caspar and Balthus converse loudly, obviously not paying attention to their surroundings to notice a missing woman. Sylvain is too busy trying to flirt with Edelgard, and Edelgard is too busy kicking him in the groin.

Leonie goes to the only competent person in the group. "Khalid, where's the princess?"

"Weren't you in charge of watching her?" Khalid answers, "She's a runner."

"A runner? You've got to be kidding me."

"Well, we better go find her before a coyote does. I'll check back by the road, you go around the other way."

So they split up. Leonie ventures into the tall grass. It takes her a few minutes for her to realize Khalid just didn't want to risk running into a rattlesnake. Still, she has a job to do, so she continues her journey through the prairie.

"Lady Nuvelle! Where are you? Did you run off to go piss? I promise I'm not gonna look. Just answer me so I can find you!" Leonie calls out.

Eventually, she spots a depressed looking lump in the distance. Leonie rushes to her.

"Lady Nuvelle! There you are," she says, relieved. She puts her hands on her knees to catch her breath.

"Did you come to humiliate me? I am not worth your breath," Constance replies, still as moody as before.

"Humiliate you? Far from it, miss. I would never." Leonie holds her hand out. "Let's get back to the caravan before a coyote comes around."

Constance tentatively takes her hand, and the woman pulls her upright. As they go to leave, a rattling noise fills the air.

"Shit," Leonie mutters, daring to look down. A rattlesnake hunches before them, head tucked behind its tail. It stares them down with its beady eyes. Its tongue flicks out, smelling their fear. Leonie holds Constance back. Her hand instinctively goes down to her belt for a weapon. Her fingertips ghost over her holster with the gun still inside. She can't use a gun.

"Lady Nuvelle, make a run for it. I'll take the bite for you. My pants should be thick enough that I won't get too much poison."

"Please don't risk your life like this," Constance implores her. She tugs on the other woman's sleeve.

"It's my job, ma'am. I'll kill it, and it won't be pretty so you best look away."

The two slowly back up, not wanting to provoke it. The snake continues to watch them, unmoving except for the rattle of its tail. It coils itself tighter. Leonie's heart beats out of her chest. This is not how she wants to go. She was banking on getting trampled by a herd of bison.

In a flash, the snake lunges. A loud gunshot rings out, echoing throughout the prairie. Leonie instinctively looks down at her hand only to find a lack of a weapon. She looks to Constance who stands strong, eyes glaring and gun in hand. It glints in the sun. The rattlesnake is now a bloodstain for the vultures to pick at.

"Did you just shoot it?" Leonie asks, absolutely appalled. Her jaw hangs slack.

Constance seems just as surprised. "I, uh, I guess I did shoot your gun. Someone had to do it, and I didn't see you doing anything except getting ready to die. It was an accident!"

"Well, thank you for saving my life. Although, I'm pretty sure I'm getting paid for this to be the other way around."

"You're welcome. I won't tell my father about this."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome again."

"We should get back before the others start to worry," Leonie says. She takes a step in the right direction only to immediately step into a prairie dog hole. She screams out and crashes to the ground. Constance kneels next to her

"How badly does it hurt?" She asks, pulling the woman over to lie on her back.

"I didn't break it. I'll be fine." Leonie tries to stand up.

Constance pushes her back down with a surprising force. "You're not going anywhere until I examine your ankle."

"I can walk back. Promise."

"No." She tugs the woman's boot off to reveal her ankle. Indeed, it is red and swollen. Gently, she presses a finger to it, sending pain up Leonie's body. The woman grits her teeth.

"It's not broken, but it's definitely sprained. I'll help you walk back. You need to keep your weight off this foot so you can recover quickly."

"Fine. Help me get up," Leonie says, having no other choice.

Constance is surprisingly strong. She lifts Leonie up with relative ease. As soon as she puts weight on it, Leonie's foot screams with pain.

"I suppose I could carry you back," Constance mumbles, deep in thought.

"That won't be necessary, Miss." Leonie can only imagine the embarrassment returning to camp in the princess' arms. Dorothea would never let her hear the end of it. Instead, she leans on the other woman for support, awkwardly limping through the grass.

They walk back quietly. Leonie watches the ground carefully. Constance seems lost in thought and a lot less depressed than earlier, a stark difference from whatever woman Leonie was sitting next to this morning. It's progress.

Curiosity bites at Leonie. She needs to know. "So do you actually know how to shoot a gun?"

"Of course I do. I mean, who doesn't?" Constance answers.

"Right. I just wasn't expecting a fine lady like yourself to be such a good shot."

"Guns are quite fascinating, you see. Besides the killing part, of course. I learned to shoot them as anyone else would, but I thought to myself, why stop there? There’s much more to be discovered about these strange machines. I just enjoy the mechanics and revel in taking them apart. I tried building one from scratch once."

"How did it turn out?" Leonie wonders. She admits she finds herself curious.

"It exploded."

This is a new side of Constance. This Constance is passionate and eager and more importantly will not be quiet for even a moment.

She continues to ramble aimlessly. "You can look at a gun like a piston engine. In that sense, it is not that much different from a train-"

Leonie tunes out completely.

\----

"There you are!" Dorothea says upon their return. She runs up to Leonie and throws her arms around her, "I've been worried sick about you."

"You should never worry about me," Leonie answers, hugging her back with one arm. The other remains on Constance for balance.

"That's a lie. You have a knack for getting yourself into trouble. And besides, you owe me way too much money.”

“I’m glad to know you care.” She rolls her eyes.

"I do. I promise you. Now, would you care to explain why you came back to camp limping?”

"We had a little run in with a rattlesnake."

"What?" Dorothea scolds her, "Of course you did. Were you bit? Let me see."

Leonie hops backward. "Thea, darlin’, I'm fine! You don't have to worry about me. I just sprained my ankle stepping into a prairie dog hole. It’ll heal up fast."

"You got into a fight with a rattlesnake, and it was the prairie dog hole that ultimately got you?"

She nods. "Yes, ma'am."

"You're just a little bit of an idiot. Do you know that?"

"Clear as day."

"I'm just glad you're safe." Dorothea pinches her cheek. Leonie hates that she finds it cute.

"Break time's over!" Khalid yells, "Let's get back on the trail before nightfall."

Dorothea mounts her steed. Sylvain trots over to her only for Edelgard to cut him off. He sadly makes his way to the back of the herd. Caspar and Balthus rush to their own horses, arguing over who got there first. Khalid gets atop his horse with no complaints. Leonie stands at the base of the carriage. She grabs the bar, trying to figure out how to hoist herself up without using her foot. Constance peeks out from the top and holds her hand out.

"Be careful. I'll try to keep the weight off your foot," she says.

Leonie takes her hand. The woman is surprisingly strong. "Thank you, Miss."

"You can just call me Constance."

"Then, thank you, Constance."

With everyone situated, the cowboys embark on their journey. Leonie sits atop the carriage with her foot resting on the railing. Constance put it in a splint before they left. The woman sits next to Leonie, seeming much happier than usual.

"May I ask you a personal question?" She asks suddenly.

"How personal?" Leonie responds inquisitively.

"I was curious as to your relationship with Dorothea."

"Relationship? Like are we dating?"

At that, the blonde turns a light shade of crimson. "Why, yes. That is indeed what I am inquiring about."

"We're not dating. We tried it once, but neither of us were into it. She's my best friend and more importantly, my bartender," Leonie says.

"Bartender? I thought she was a mercenary."

"She can be both." She shrugs.

"So, what are you, then?" Constance wonders.

"Single." Leonie nudges the other woman playfully.

"Leonie, that was not what I was asking you!" Constance's face burns hotter. She pulls her hat down to hide herself.

"I know. I just wanted you to know."

"Why?"

Leonie nearly falls off the carriage. "Why? I, um, I'm just teasing you. That's what I do with all my friends."

"And I'm your friend?" The other woman sincerely asks.

"Yes. Of course you are!" Actually, she isn't entirely sure.

"Oh. Well, I am also not currently being courted at the moment."

"Really?"

"Leonie, you're steering the horses off the road."

"That was on purpose," Leonie says, nonchalantly tugging the reins to put them back on the right course, "I'm just surprised a woman as beautiful as yourself isn't already married."

"I would prefer not to get into that topic if you please." Constance turns away, again pulling her hat lower.

"We can talk about something else. Anything to pass the time."

"Did you have a particular subject in mind?"

Leonie watches the two women in front of them. "I wonder what they're talking about."

"Who? Miss Edelgard and Dorothea?"

"Yeah. Do you think they're talking about us?"

"Knowing Edelgard, she's probably discussing her theories on economics and government policies to help aid poorer farmers through the dust bowl."

"She's one of those, huh?"

"What do you mean?" Constance asks.

"A smart type," Leonie replies, "Knows the answer to everything."

"She's very well educated, believe it or not. And although she may be well read, she is also a force to be reckoned with. I saw her subdue a bull empty handed."

"That's kinda hot."

"Excuse me?"

"I said it's kinda hot out here." Leonie tugs on the collar of her shirt.

"If you're hot, I can get you some water."

"I'll be okay."

"Please don't go dying of dehydration on my account."

"I won't!"

Constance pulls out the canteen tied to her belt. "Please drink. I insist."

"I have my own," Leonie answers.

"Drink it. I am not asking." She shoves her canteen into Leonie's face. The cowboy has no choice but to drink it.

"Fine," she sighs and takes Constance's canteen, "Take the reins."

Admittedly, the water is quite refreshing. She tips her head back and takes another gulp, being careful not to drink the entire thing.

"Thanks, Constance," she says, wiping her mouth on her sleeve.

"It was my pleasure," Constance answers.

Leonie snorts.

"What's so funny?" Constance asks, squinting at her.

"You're weird."

"I'm weird? What makes you say such a thing?"

"The way you talk. You sound like some sort of princess with all those big words and proper grammar."

"I'm not a princess. I'm the only daughter of the Nuvelle house."

"Does it run in the family, then?"

"No. I speak how I am taught to speak. Just because I use my words properly, does not mean I am strange."

"Well, how about I teach you how to talk like a normal person?" Leonie offers.

"I am a normal person," Constance says.

"That's like saying I like men. It simply ain't true."

"I am not weird."

"You're weird," Leonie insists, playfully nudging her in the shoulder, "That's what I like about you."

\----

Nightfall comes quickly, and with it, the cold. It is a godsend compared to the boiling sun of the daytime. Constance seems a lot more comfortable in the night. She sits by the fire hugging her legs to her chest. Leonie sits next to her, talking to Dorothea.

Khalid stokes the fire while Caspar handles the wood. Balthus prepares the meat. Sylvain sits away from the ladies. Edelgard occasionally glares at him to keep him at bay.

Then, comes time for food. Leonie polishes off her dinner quickly. Dorothea picks at her own, leaving the rest for her friend. Balthus serves Constance next. She stares at the food, seeming confused.

"It's not poisoned. Promise," he says, shoving the piece of meat closer to her.

"Yes. Thank you." Daintily, she takes the stick, trying very hard not to let her hands touch the meat.

"You alright there, princess?" Leonie leans over to ask her. Her mouth is mostly full, and her words come out muffled.

"Do we have utensils? Or perhaps a plate?"

Balthus answers for her, "No, ma'am. You're gonna have to eat with your hands tonight."

Constance looks absolutely horrified beyond words.

Leonie nudges her. "You'll be fine."

"I will not be fine. My hands are going to get dirty."

She picks a piece of her own meat off her stick and holds it to the other woman. "Here."

"What are you doing?" Constance asks confusedly.

"So you don't get your hands dirty."

"I'm not going to eat from your hands. That is hardly necessary."

"I'm just trying to accommodate you. Take it or leave it, but choose quickly because I'm still hungry." Leonie tempts her with the meat, even daring to put it right up to the blonde's lips.

With no other choice, Constance throws her last shred of dignity out the window and takes the food into her mouth. She is careful not to make contact with Leonie's fingers. However, Leonie seems determined to get her fingers into the other's mouth.

"Thank you," Constance mumbles once she is done chewing. Leonie tears her another piece. The woman looks at it, utterly embarrassed. "You're not going to-"

Leonie nods. "Yes, ma'am."

Constance sighs and politely accepts the offering, "Thank you."

After dinner comes a much needed rest. The caravan becomes a makeshift camping ground for the night. Khalid ties the horses down while Caspar pitches the canopy. Leonie lays out her sleeping mat, letting Dorothea take the spot closest to the fire. Constance retreats to the wagon, wanting some time alone from the others.

Dorothea lets out a much needed yawn. "This beats slinging beers and telling drunkards they're cut off for the night."

"This beat wrangling wild bovine for a mere two dollars a bull." Leonie lies back on the ground, staring up at the stars. For a moment, she feels completely at peace with the world. Until Dorothea kicks her harshly in her uninjured shin.

"You like her," she says.

"Like who?" Leonie asks.

"Lady Nuvelle."

"I'll admit she warmed up to me."

"And now you're in love with her," Dorothea hums playfully.

"I am _not_ in love with her." Leonie kicks her, forgetting about her sprained ankle. She ends up in more pain than her friend.

"Are too. You don't bring out that gaze for just anyone. I've never seen you so chivalrous in your entire life. You're never like this unless you're aiming to court a lady, and you've chosen quite the lady."

"Again, I'm not in love with her."

"You hand fed her dinner," Dorothea argues.

"Okay. I admit, that was a little much but, I don't want her to starve to death! We won't get paid if she dies," Leonie reasons.

"You'd probably be her personal footstool if she asked."

"Constance can take care of herself. She saved me from that rattlesnake."

"She did?"

"Yeah. She's a pretty good shot."

"Maybe she could teach you a thing or two."

"Maybe." Leonie pulls her blanket over her head and turns over. Dorothea stretches out and closes her eyes. They fall asleep to the sound of cicadas.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it got a little out of control so im gonna have to add another chapter lol

The road is the same as always. The days start to meld together. The sun glares down at them with no relent. The horses kick up dust as they trot along. The days only get hotter as they travel. Leonie sits atop the carriage next to Constance. Both are already drenched in sweat.

"So, what's in Adrestia anyway?" Leonie wonders aloud.

"What do you mean? It's the capital of the Adrestian empire. It has a lot of attractions," Constance says, “For example-” She opens her mouth to say more, but Leonie stops her before it gets out of hand.

"I mean why are we transporting you there. It's gotta be something important if we're putting up all this fuss."

"Oh."

"Just 'oh'? Give me some details. I'm curious and bored," Leonie insists. She nudges the woman in an attempt to get more details out of her.

"I'm going to Adrestia to meet Sir Gloucester."

"Sir Gloucester, huh? That's quite the title. Is he your hot rich boyfriend?" She asks, ignoring the sting of jealousy stirring in her stomach at the thought.

"I guess technically he is courting me. Although the feeling is not mutual," Constance vaguely explains.

"How so?"

"I am not in love with him, yet he seems infatuated with me. I get letter after letter declaring his love for me. I don't know what to do with him."

"Couldn't you turn him down with a letter instead of travelling across an entire couple states to tell him no?"

"Not likely. I'm going to his manor to accept his marriage proposal. I do not have a choice in the matter. He has too much money to turn his offer down."

"Aren't you already rich?" Leonie questions her, "If there's one thing rich people don't need, it's more money. I still don’t see the point in all this."

Constance sinks into her seat, starting to look like her former self. "House Nuvelle has seen better days. My father intends to restore our house in any way possible."

"Which means marrying you off to some rich prick."

"Sir Gloucester is a kind man, I think. I'm sure we'll get along just fine."

"'Get along' is something good enough for the people you work with. Not the person you're marrying and going to spend the rest of your life with."

"It's not as if I have a choice anyway, so there's no point in arguing. I assure you, Leonie, I have all the same thoughts you do, but I am bound by my duty to my father."

"Screw your father."

"He's a good man."

"He's trying to sell you off. His own daughter!" Leonie growls. She stomps her foot hard enough to put her mostly healed foot in great pain.

"Well, I agreed to it," Constance says quietly.

"Really?"

The woman nods. "It was my idea in the first place. I have to take care of my father as he is getting older, and this is my only option left. The farm is losing money fast."

"There's gotta be another way."

"It's too late now."

"No it's not." Leonie puts a reassuring hand on her friend's shoulder. "Say no to that prick Gloucester. Live your own life."

"That's simple coming from you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're a mercenary! You get to go where you want and do as you please."

"I may have my freedom, but I never know if I'll have a roof to sleep under some days. Or when my next meal will be. How free is that, really?" She argues.

"It's better than never having the freedom to even leave your house. Sure, I had everything and more growing up, but I never had the things that actually mattered like friendship and love," Constance says, "I would rather starve than live a day like that any longer."

"Yet here you are being escorted to a marriage you want no part in."

"This whole trip feels like my funeral procession." She sulks.

Leonie wishes she had something better to say. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. You're just doing your job."

She puts her arm around the other woman. Constance leans into her.

"May I ask you something?" She says.

"Sure," Leonie replies.

"Are we friends?" The blonde asks weakly, almost nervously.

"Of course we are." Leonie catches a faint smile upon the other woman’s face. It warms her heart.

\----

They reach the first town by nightfall. Shadows stretch across the ground, and the sky turns a brilliant shade of reds and oranges. By now, the stores have closed for the evening. However, the tavern is alive and well. Leonie is itching for a drink. It has been much too long since her last, and she desperately needs a break.

Balthus is the first to separate from the group. He hops off his horse, handing the reins to Caspar and disappearing into the tavern.

"Where's he going in such a hurry?" Edelgard wonders.

"He's been itchin' to play a good poker game since we left," Caspar answers.

Khalid stays behind to take care of some unspecified business. Leonie notices he does that a lot, and she knows better than to ask. The rest of the group heads to the tavern.

It is the usual sight of drunken people yelling and enjoying themselves. A band plays in the corner, and a few people clap along. Upstairs, a serious game of poker goes down. Balthus inserts himself in the middle of it. These are his people. Caspar watches despite knowing none of the rules. Sylvain takes to his usual business of talking to women and only women. Leonie beelines to the bar. Finally, she is home. Before she can blink, a mug of beer sits before her. It tastes like mildly refreshing heaven. Dorothea sits down next to her, and on her other side, Constance.

"Let me buy you a beer," Leonie says to the blonde.

Dorothea frowns. "You'll buy the rich girl a beer, but not your best friend who is sitting right next to you?"

"Oh, uh, I was gonna do that next."

"I'll buy you a beer, Dorothea." Edelgard joins them at the bar. She sits down next to Dorothea.

"How chivalrous of you." Dorothea bats her eyelashes and plays with a strand of her hair. Leonie rolls her eyes.

"It's the least I could do."

By now, the bartender has brought everyone a beer. He says something witty, but Leonie certainly isn't paying attention. Her focus is only on her drink. With her first beer down, she can finally converse.

"Say, Coco, actually, can I call you Coco?” Leonie quickly gets sidetracked by the sudden nickname. It just came out suddenly.

Constance seems as surprised as the other. She blinks at her, not sure what to make of it all. “You want to refer to me as ‘Coco’?”

“Yeah,” says the cowboy, suddenly bashful.

“You may.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Leonie grins widely, “Well, Coco, I just wanted to say thank you for the other day.”

"What about the other day?" Constance asks, seeming a tad worried.

"When you shot the snake.”

“Oh! It was nothing. Just doing my job.”

“Saving you is my job,” Leonie says, playfully jabbing her in the shoulder, “Which brings me to my question, could you teach me to shoot like that?"

"Sure! I would love to. I have a lot of knowledge on the subject, and I'm sure I can be an adequate teacher."

"It was still neat how you did that. Saving my life and all that."

_Neat_ doesn't even begin to describe it. ‘Incredibly sexy’ would describe it to a tee, but there is no way Leonie is admitting that.

"It wasn't that impressive, really. I was just doing what needed to be done,” Constance says.

"Well, I think it's impressive, and if I think something is impressive, then you know it's real great." Leonie nudges her to further her point. "Like you. You're the best."

"And I think you are wonderful as well. I'm very grateful to have met you," Constance answers. Leonie catches a slight blush upon her face. Although, it might be due to the alcohol. It has to be the alcohol.

"Are you two done flirting over there?" Dorothea interrupts them.

Leonie shoots her a sharp look. "Depends on if you and Edelgard are done."

"We're not flirting. We're conversing like normal people."

"Oh, please. If you think I’m flirting, you and Edelgard must be married already.” She grins upon seeing her friend’s deep blush. She only gets worse from there. “I have to watch you two eye-banging each other from behind all day long. Just do it already! Please! I'm tired of all this tension. I can feel it all the way from the wagon."

"Bold of you to assume we haven't done it already," Dorothea says with a wink. She desperately tries to casually play off her obvious crush, but Leonie knows her better than that.

"I'm pretty sure I'd know. You're quite loud."

"Are you speaking from experience?" Edelgard asks.

Leonie smirks. "Maybe. I'm sure you'll find out soon."

At that, the other woman turns a light shade of pink. She turns back to her beer without another word. Her reactions are subtle but all the more satisfying.

A commotion comes from upstairs. The women glance upward to see what is the matter. Suddenly, Balthus comes crashing down from above. A table breaks his crash. The couple sitting there doesn’t flinch. They scoop their drinks before they can spill and continue to drink them as normal.

Caspar leans over the railing. "Balthus! Are you okay?"

Balthus puts up a shaking thumbs up to signify he is alive.

"He's a cheat! A dirty rotten cheat!" A man yells. He walks behind Caspar and grabs him by the scruff of his neck, pushing him so he leans dangerously over the railing.

"I wasn't doing anything!" Caspar pleads.

"You planted that ace. I just know it."

Another man grabs his other shoulder and roughly searches his sleeves and pockets. "Aha!"

He produces a card from his back pocket. "You can't fool me!"

"I wasn't even playing. How could I cheat?" Caspar asks.

"You were in cahoots with him." He points down to Balthus. "I outta sock you in the mouth for even thinkin’ you could make a fool of us."

"You will do no such thing to my friend!" Balthus exclaims. He stands up and brushes himself off. "If you have a quarrel with him, you have a quarrel with me. I'm the one who cheated. He had nothing to do with it! He’s innocent! Come down here and face me like a man! If you can best me, I will give you back all your winnings."

"You mean the winnings you cheated from me?"

"Yes. Those. Come get 'em." Balthus grins.

"Okay. That's it."

For lack of better judgement, the man flings himself off the balcony, aiming at Balthus. Of course, Balthus simply steps aside, making the man plummet to the floor. A chorus of gasps fill the room. The rest of his lackeys clamor down the stairs while Caspar tries to stop them. The commotion causes a stir among the patrons. The band keeps playing, picking up the pace for what they deem fitting bar brawl music.

One man swings at Caspar. He ducks and punches the man in the knees. The man screams out in pain. Another man leaps at Balthus. Unfortunately for him, Balthus is much too large for him to even make a dent. The cowboy grapples him with little effort and tosses him to the side. He crashes into a table, angering the people trying to enjoy a meal. Liquor and spirits go flying. Glasses shatter on the floor. The patrons proceed to smack the poor man across the head.

Leonie watches from the bar, drinking her third beer. As a bartender, Dorothea instinctively gets up to stop them, but her friend holds her arm out.

"Wait until they pull a weapon," she instructs calmly, "Otherwise, it ain't our business. He’s a big boy. He can handle this on his own."

Dorothea settles back down, watching with great discomfort.

Another man leaps at Caspar. He dodges to the side, causing the attacker to instead crash into an onlooker. The onlooker's wife takes great offense to this and douses him with her entire beer before hitting him on the head with the empty mug. This only causes more chaos. The splash from the beer hits the table next to her, and the patrons sitting immediately get furious. The man slams his hand down on the table and looks to see who attacked him. Of course, he assumes this to be the entirely wrong person, and he and his friends rush at the wrong table. The table in question has an entire cast of muscular people more than willing to partake in the action. One slams a poor man into the floor hard enough to break the floorboards. More people fling themselves into the fray for the fun of it, hopped up on the adrenaline of the moment.

The fight quickly escalates, yet the staff do not seem to worry at all. In fact, the bartender has ducked into the backroom for cover.

"Coco, get behind the bar. It'll be safer there," Leonie says, ushering her to move. Constance, who looks scared out of her mind, does not hesitate to do this.

There is no longer any order as the entire bar descends into chaos. Caspar grabs a band mates' fiddle and smashes an assailant over the head with it. The fiddle splinters into pieces accompanied by a raucous note, and the man passes out on the floor.

All the while, a team gangs up on Balthus. They fling everything at him, but he is much too strong for them to handle even as a pack. Eventually, the leader recovers from his fall and stands back up.

"I've had enough of you!" He growls, reaching for his holster.

Balthus stares at him, fear in his eyes. Two gunshots ring out. Pained screaming fills the air. Balthus falls to the floor with a loud crash. A few gasps, and the entire tavern goes silent.

Edelgard stands up, gun still drawn. Her voice fills the room. "That's enough of that."

The attacker grips his hand. A pool of red stains his sleeve. His legs shake, and he looks at her with pure terror. His gun lies on the floor.

"This isn't your business, ma'am. I'm going to have to ask you to stay out of it."

"It's my business when you attempt to kill one of my partners. You can take the winnings back. Just don't ever pull your gun against someone undeserving again."

"Oh, fuck off, you bitch."

Another gunshot. The man hisses with pain as he hops on one foot.

"I shot you in the toe. You'll live," Edelgard says. She withdraws her gun as if nothing happened.

Dorothea watches the other woman in awe. Leonie remains ducked behind the bar next to Constance.

"What are you doing?" Constance whispers.

"Taking some for the road. They won't miss it." Leonie grabs a bottle of bourbon in each hand. "Let's get out of here."

"That's stealing!"

"I know, but I know for sure I'm not the most morally unstable one here so that justifies it. C'mon. Hide them in your skirt."

"I will do no such thing."

"Please? For me?" Leonie bats her eyelashes, trying to channel her best friend’s charisma.

It works. Constance sighs, "Fine. I will allow it just this once. And only those two bottles."

"You just made me the happiest girl in the world! I could kiss you."

"Excuse me?"

"It's an expression." Leonie tips her hat down to hide the flush of her face.

"I see."

Eventually, their group gets kicked out of the tavern, mostly by Edelgard's hand. Khalid returns from his business only to be disappointed. He frowns when he sees everyone sulking by the caravan.

"What have you gotten into this time?"

"Edelgard shot me!" Balthus whines.

"Oh, please. The bullet grazed your ass, and we all know there is plenty of protection there."

"Why did you shoot Balthus?" Khalid asks, staring at the woman with great suspicion.

"He was about to get himself killed. I needed his real attacker to assume he shot him and not me. Then, I could subdue him without anyone getting hurt. Also, he kinda deserved it,” Edelgard explains.

"And did anyone get hurt?"

"Besides Balthus' ego and the shooter? Not a single person.”

"Impressive.” Khalid nods in approval. “May I ask why you got into a gun fight in the first place?"

"It started as a fist fight," Edelgard answers, "Balthus thought it was a good idea to cheat at poker and angered a few of the wrong people in the process."

Khalid looks to the culprit, shaking his head in disappointment. "It's always a good idea to cheat if the other person deserves it, but it's never a good idea to get caught."

"I know," Balthus says, staring at the ground like a child getting scolded for breaking his mother's favorite vase.

"I suppose this means staying the night in a real bed isn't an option now."

"For us at least," Edelgard mentions.

"Maybe I'll stay the night in a real bed then," Khalid comments, "You'll all stay here and make a camp. I'll meet y'all in the morning."

With that, he leaves them be. Caspar and Balthus set up camp as usual. Edelgard needs some time to brood. Dorothea, of course, joins her.

Leonie sighs, "This sucks. I was looking forward to an actual bed tonight."

"Perhaps that can be arranged," Constance says, voice trailing off.

"What are you gettin' at?"

"You could stay in the carriage with me. You could be my extra protection."

"Oh, so you need protecting?"

"Isn't it your job?"

"You're right. How can I say no?"

"Can you two get a room?" Dorothea calls to them. She rolls her eyes.

"We are." Leonie sticks her tongue out at her.

The wagon actually looks somewhat like an actual bedroom and certainly much nicer than anything Leonie has slept in before. The space is small but well utilized. However, it is definitely meant for just one person. Leonie hits her head on the doorframe as she steps inside.

"Uh, where do you want me?" She asks, rubbing her head.

"On the bed?" Constance answers as if it is obvious. It's not.

"You're going to sleep on the floor?"

"No. We're going to share the bed because It's already starting to get cold. Not to mention, I would feel much safer knowing you're by my side." She tugs the cowboy closer.

Leonie doesn’t remember Constance ever being this forward. Maybe it is the alcohol. A fuzzy feeling fills her chest, and she can swear Constance is the most beautiful woman she has ever laid her eyes on.

"Well, I can't say no to that." Leonie has shared beds before, but not with someone like Constance. Dorothea is her best friend; they can share a bed without a second thought. Hell, Leonie would rather leap into a bed with Sylvain at this point. It would be less nerve racking. Constance is a _lady_. More importantly a very pretty lady who is also getting _married_ to a man of status. A simple cowboy cannot meddle in matters like this, no matter how much she wants to.

And, boy, does she want to.

She takes a deep breath and remembers why she is here: money. Just money. There’s no feelings involved. All she needs is the cash after the job is done. Then, she can carry on with her life and not think about Constance ever again.

However, the woman in question is right in front of her, beckoning her. Leonie cannot get her out of her head no matter how hard she tries. Her heart pounds in her throat. She swallows thickly and climbs into bed next to Constance. She keeps a modest distance between them.

"Alright. I'm here," she says. That's all she says. That’s all she can say. She folds her hands in her lap, using all her strength not to combust.

"You seem nervous," Constance answers. She brings a hand up to rest on Leonie's shoulders, and that's all the cowboy can think about.

"I'm not nervous."

"You're allowed to be nervous. I'm still shaking a bit from what happened in the bar."

"That happens more often than you'd like to think."

"Really?"

"Yeah. People are always itching for a reason to pull the trigger. It's sad, really. It's why I don't use a gun. I could never bring myself to kill a man. There has to be another way."

"That's very righteous of you, Leonie. I admire that."

“Righteous?” Leonie laughs, "I'm hardly someone to admire. I'm just a broke cowboy bordering on alcoholism."

"That's a lie. You're so much more than that," Constance says, inching closer, "You're kind. You're sweet. You're funny. You've done so much for me even while I was a depressed mess. That must have taken so much patience."

It did, but Leonie won't mention that. "You flatter me. I'm none of those things."

"But everything I say is true. I assure you. I've seen it with my own eyes. You mean the world to me, Leonie."

"Please." The woman rolls her eyes, failing to hide a smile.

"I also forgot charming. You're very charming." Constance adds more fuel to the fire. Leonie can barely handle it.

"Am not."

"And handsome."

She gazes at Constance. The other woman looks at her with utmost admiration. Her heart aches. Her gaze falters.

Leonie laughs it off. It’s the only thing she can do to quell the swirl of emotions eating up her insides. "Well, shit, Coco, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were hitting on me."

"I am," answers Constance, suddenly bashful herself.

The air gets sickenly still. Leonie feels as if she is choking. Invisible tendrils clamp around her chest.

“We can’t do this,” she says, “You’re getting _married_. To a _man_.”

“I’m not married _yet_.” Constance runs her hand through the other’s hair. She sits close enough that their legs touch. “We can be together for my last few days of freedom. My only days of freedom I’ve ever had.”

Leonie leans into her touch. The sensation runs down her spine making her shiver. “Is this a good idea?”

They both know the answer to that.

“No, but I want to go through with this. Do you?”

The question hangs in the air. Leonie dreads answering it.

“I do.” She hates admitting it out loud.

Constance is much closer than she remembers being just moments ago. She gazes at her with wanting eyes. “May I kiss you?”

“You may,” Leonie whispers.

She isn’t used to being on the receiving end of flirting. Usually, she takes matters into her own hands. Constance, however meek she seemed when they first met, now takes the lead, and Leonie finds herself blissfully lost. For a moment, she forgets about the aches and pains of life and only thinks of Constance. The blonde brings her hand up to Leonie’s cheek. She coaxes the woman closer. Leonie obeys her. She leans in, and her eyes flutter shut.

Constance’s lips are gentle at first. She tastes sweet except for the faint lingering taste of alcohol. Leonie kisses her back, drinking in the sensation. Her arms come up to wrap around the other woman. Teeth scrape against Leonie’s lower lip. She playfully bites back. Constance lets out a small gasp, letting Leonie deepen the kiss. Hands start to wander, undoing buttons and tugging at clothing. Constance slips her hand underneath Leonie’s shirt to feel up her abdomen. Her nails gently scrape against her skin. Leonie presses harder against her, slowly pushing the other woman down onto the bed. Her lips trail down to the woman’s neck, sucking on her sensitive skin.

“S-stop.” Constance pulls away ever so briefly. She puts a finger to Leonie’s lips.

“What’s wrong?” Leonie says, “We don’t have to go any further. Just say the word.”

“Actually, I would like you to proceed with this. It’s just- how do I say this?”

“Say what?”

“I want you to have me before he does.” Constance holds Leonie’s head between her hands. “I want you to take my innocence away. I want you to be my first.”

“Are you sure?” Leonie asks, suddenly nervous.

“I would be much more comfortable knowing you were my first,” the other responds softly.

Leonie leans down to kiss her neck. Her breath is hot on her skin. “Then, I will do just that.”

\----

The night is cold, but Constance’s body is warm against her own. Leonie stares at the ceiling still out of breath. Thoughts muddle her mind. Constance lies next to her, clinging to her like she might disappear forever if she lets go. Leonie holds a loose arm around her. The other props up her own head. The world is quiet around them, and Leonie can hear Constance’s peaceful breathing. Her chest rises and falls in a soothing cadence. It helps calm her nerves. 

Leonie wants to sleep; this is the first real bed she has slept in for months. However, despite her exhaustion, she has never felt more awake. Part of her wants to leave. She won’t let herself.

Constance pulls her closer, nuzzling her face into her neck. Leonie melts at the sensation. Eventually, sleep overtakes her.

\----

Morning comes too quickly. Leonie rises as the sun breaks the horizon. Constance stirs as the other woman climbs out of bed.

"Good morning," she says, managing a tired smile.

"Morning," Leonie greets her. She leans down to give the blonde a peck on the cheek. "How are you feeling?"

"I've never felt better."

"Me neither," she says, ignoring the storm of emotions brewing in her gut.

Constance pulls her in for a kiss, taking her hands into the other’s. Leonie quickly forgets about her previous apprehensions.

"I don't want to leave," Constance says.

"I don't want you to leave either," Leonie whispers. She regrets letting go of her hands.

Breakfast is first on the menu. A caravan cannot function on an empty stomach. Caspar and Balthus take to preparing the food. Eggs fry over the fire. Caspar pokes at them, enjoying the jiggle of the yolk. Balthus adds a helping of salt. Leonie's stomach growls.

Dorothea strategically slides next to her friend as they eat. She pokes at her breakfast while waiting for the perfect opportunity.

"So," she says, her voice humming with a tone that only means trouble, "How was your night with the princess?"

"She's no princess," Leonie answers.

"Oh, she topped?"

"That's not what I meant." She chokes on her own food at her friend's sudden outburst. She hunches over her plate to hide the burning of her face.

"Sure." Dorothea does not believe her.

"I meant she's just like you and me."

"You're still avoiding the question, darling. How was your night with her? Did you work through all those unnecessary feelings?"

"It went fine," Leonie says.

"There has to be a reason you don't wanna talk about it."

"Do you really want to know?" She sighs, looking at her friend with tired eyes.

"Yes," answers Dorothea.

"I'm… I..." Leonie drops her voice to a whisper, glancing around to make sure no one else hears. "I think I'm in love with her."

"I knew it!" Her friend yells a bit too loudly. Heads turn, and Leonie smacks her in the back.

"Will you be quiet? I don't want people knowing this," she hisses.

"With the way you two flirt, everyone's gonna know in a heartbeat. You two are practically glued together at the hip," Dorothea says with a giggle.

"The only reason for that is everyone avoids Constance like she's some sort of disease."

"And look where it made you end up."

Leonie leans her head in her hands. "What do I do, Thea? She's engaged to another man."

Dorothea chokes on her breakfast. "She's _what_?"

"That's why we're here in the first place."

"You can't just say that to me and not explain."

"I guess Mr. Nuvelle didn't want anyone knowing, but he made Coco get engaged to some rich prick to get them more money."

"Aren't they already rich?"

"Not for long. Word on the street is he's going bankrupt. The marriage is to save their image."

"That's horrible. I can't just sit by and deliver that poor girl into a forced marriage," Dorothea growls.

"But we have no other choice," Leonie answers, starting to feel hopeless again.

"No. We have options. Hand me your gun."

"Absolutely not!" She quickly shuffles away from her.

"At least consider it," says Dorothea.

Leonie considers. Admittedly, the offer is quite tempting. "Alright. I'll think on it."

\----

Getting back on the road feels different this time around. Constance sits close enough to Leonie that their legs press together. She continues to casually touch her with the occasional lingering hand on her back or gently nudging her whenever she sees a cloud with a particularly fascinating shape.

"That one looks like a duck!" Constance points to the sky.

Leonie glances up ever so briefly. "Well, damn. That's a spittin' image of a duck right there."

She could care less about the cloud, but Constance's enthusiasm makes it all worth it.

\----

Nighttime comes too quickly as it always does. Leonie desperately wants time to slow down, but no matter how much she silently begs, the days continue on. She steps into the wagon, not caring what the others think. Neither of them try to hide it anymore. One would have to be blind to not see the relationship budding between the two. Still, no one has approached them on the matter. Khalid watches her with curious eyes as Leonie shuts the door behind them.

As soon as they are safe from prying eyes, Constance hugs Leonie from behind, gently kissing her neck. Her hands slowly undo the buttons of Leonie's shirt. Constance kisses Leonie, turning her head to meet her lips. Her fingers ghost over Leonie's chest. Leonie takes her shirt off for her. They fall onto the bed embraced in each other's arms.

"I feel like nighttime is the only time when I feel alive," Constance says, running her hand through Leonie's hair.

"Why's that?" Leonie asks, partially distracted. She gazes up at the woman, breathless from her beauty.

"It's the only time I get to be myself."

"Is that so?"

"It's always been like this. During the daytime I have to behave by the rules. I put on the mask of another woman. Never speak unless spoken to. Dress properly. I hate it. At nighttime, everyone is asleep, and for once in my life, I don't have to live by someone else's expectations of me. I finally get a glimpse of myself.” Constance tenses, and her eyes start to water. “Sometimes I fear I will   
forget who the real me is.”

Leonie brings a hand up to her cheek to wipe away a tear. “So, is this the real Coco I’m talking to?”

“Of course this is the real me. You’re one of the only people I feel like I can be myself around.”

“I’m honored, but that’s also really depressing to hear.”

"It's fine. I'm used to it."

“You shouldn’t have to be. This is not okay.”

“It’s fine, Leonie. Really.”

“No. There has to be a way-”

“Leonie.” Constance’s voice pierces through her.

Leonie drops her voice to a whisper. “I’m sorry.”

“This is our last night together. Can we just pretend everything’s okay just for tonight?”

“Sure we can, darlin'. I know just how to take your mind offa things.” She takes the other’s hand and gently kisses it.

Constance, however, wants something more. Her gaze is filled with hunger. "It's much harder to think when I have your thighs wrapped around my head."

"Oh."

Her hands dip lower. Careful fingers loosen her belt.

"Oh!" Leonie adjusts herself to let the other woman remove her pants. Constance kisses down her jaw to her chest, moving fast. Teeth scrape against Leonie's most sensitive spots. She brings her hand down to tease between the cowboy's legs.

"I love you," Leonie blurts out suddenly.

Constance freezes, her fingers still inside the other woman. "Excuse me? Did you just say what I thought you said?

"Uh. Maybe?"

"This is, um, well I can say for sure I wasn't expecting this."

"I'm sorry! It just kinda came out."

"Leonie, it's okay. I love you too."

"You do?"

"Of course I do, you dummy." She leans in to kiss Leonie on the cheek.

Leonie turns a bright red. "Well, I'm glad to hear that."

"You're weird."

"Oh, I'm weird? Miss Constance Von Nuvelle who obsesses over gun mechanics and train engines and is seemingly allergic to the sun thinks _I'm_ the weird one out of the two of us?" She puts a hand to her chest to show her shock.

"Exactly." Constance nods. “You’re weird.”

“No, you.”

“Not as weird as you.”

"God, I love you." Leonie pulls her into a kiss.

Constance kisses her back, melting into her. "I love you too."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> huge tw for suicidal thoughts, and suicide is referenced to (not attempted) all toward the beginning of this chapter  
> please read with care!

It's the dawn of the final day. Khalid judges they will be to Adrestia before nightfall if nothing happens. Leonie wishes anything would happen. The ride feels like a death march, and Leonie wants no part of it. Every bump in the road feels amplified, making her stomach toss and turn. The sun boils them alive, and she feels delirious. Vultures circle overhead. She can only imagine how Constance feels. The woman pulls into herself, looking as if they had first met. Conversation comes to a halt, and Leonie cannot get her to speak no matter how much she tries. It fills Leonie with a terrible sense of dread. Still, she has a job to do, so she must do it. They ride on, the road getting drier as they go. Dust fills the air, blocking the view ahead.

They stop for lunch as the sun hangs high in the sky. The heat is nearly unbearable, and the horses desperately need a break. Edelgard and Khalid care for the horses while Balthus and Caspar prepare a meal. Leonie is not sure what to do with herself. She busies herself in menial chores to get her mind off things.

“Leonie, I need your help with something,” Dorothea says, pulling her out of her trance.

Begrudgingly, Leonie looks up from her work. “What do you need?”

“We need some girl talk. Just the two of us.” Her friend tugs her along. “Come on.”

They wander away from the group until they find themselves out of earshot. Leonie sinks to her knees, barely able to find the strength to stay upright. Dorothea settles down next to her.

“You really like her, don’t you?” Dorothea starts. She gently leans against her, offering a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“I do, but it’s not just that,” Leonie says, rubbing her face with her hands, “It’s that Coco needs help, and I’m powerless to do anything about it. I don’t care about being with her. I mean, I do, but I just want her to be happy. And taking her to Adrestia isn’t gonna make her happy.”

“Then, let’s do something.”

“But what?”

“Something rash and not well thought out, obviously.”

“You’re crazy.”

“What’s crazy is marrying someone for money. I learned that the hard way.”

Leonie looks at her confusedly. “What are you talking about?”

“That’s a story for another time,” Dorothea says dismissively, “We have much more important matters to attend to.”

“I don’t wanna think about it.”

“If you don’t think about it, we lose Constance forever.” Her voice gets sharp, forcing Leonie to attention.

“Fine. Do you have any ideas?”

“Yes.” Dorothea pulls out a gun.

Leonie panics, reaching for her holster only to find it empty. “Is that mine? When did you steal that?”

“Just now.”

“I’m not killing anyone.”

“You’re no fun.” Her friend hands the gun back.

When they return, everyone is scattered about. Only Khalid remains at the camp. Leonie glances around confusedly.

“What’s with all the fuss?” She asks.

“Miss Nuvelle went missing again. I thought she would come to find you, but for once, I was wrong.” He taps his chin, deep in thought. He muses, “I wonder why she ran off? She seemed so happy up until today.”

“Maybe she’s getting cold feet,” Leonie says, trying to stay vague on the matter. It seems no one has caught on to Constance’s little secret. Even the ever vigilant Khalid.

“It’s not like she’s getting married. At least, according to what I was told. Others might have heard differently.” He eyes Leonie in a way that suggests he knows something Leonie doesn’t. She swallows nervously.

“We better go find her,” she says.

“Good idea. Dorothea, you come with me. Leonie, you go alone. Make sure you don’t walk into any prairie dog holes this time.”

“Why is she going alone?” Dorothea asks, her tone laced with suspicion.

“Leonie seems to be the only person Miss Nuvelle trusts. If Leonie is alone, Miss Nuvelle is much more likely to come out of her hiding place,” Khalid explains.

“That makes a lot of sense. What doesn’t make sense is how the hell one woman can go missing in an open field.”

“We don’t have time to think about that. We need to find Miss Nuvelle as soon as possible.”

“Why all the urgency? You seemed much more relaxed about this last time it happened,” Leonie says.

Khalid looks at her, hiding a pained grimace behind his thoughtful facade. “My gun went missing around the same time as Miss Nuvelle.”

“Oh no.”

Leonie wastes no time rushing out to find the woman. She runs blindly through the dusty field, calling out her lover’s name. Her lungs sting from exhaustion. Tears start to form, and her vision gets blurry. Still, she persists, pushing herself past her limit.

Then, her foot snags on something, and she goes tumbling forward. She crashes to the ground.

“Ow.” Comes a pitiful voice. Leonie opens her eyes to see Constance curled up on the ground.

“Coco,” Leonie says, crawling over to her as she lies limp on the ground, “What are you doing out here? We’ve been worried sick about you.”

“I couldn’t do it,” Constance whispers, voice strained, “I really am a miserable blight upon existence. Not even the vultures will take me.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I would ask you to do it, but even that would make me too much of a burden to you,” she continues, “I’ll just lie here and starve to death.”

“You’re not dying, Coco. I won’t let you.” Leonie tugs her into her lap. The woman lies limp, making it nearly impossible.

“Please, Leonie. I would rather die here than live miserably in Adrestia.” Constance weakly hands her a revolver, Khalid’s revolver. “I’m too much of a coward to do it myself. I’m begging of you, Leonie, grant me this last wish so I may die as myself.”

“Coco, stop this! You’re being irrational!”

“I am being perfectly rational! You’re not the one being forced into a marriage with a man you’ve never met when the woman you care about more than anything in the world escorts you there,” she says hopelessly.

“Trust me, Coco, I don’t want to. I just don’t know what else to do.”

“Get me out of here,” she pleads.

“They’ll catch us on foot. They’re all looking for us right now,” Leonie says.

"Please, Leonie."

"I'll think of something. I promise." She clutches her close.

“There you are!” A voice calls to them. Footsteps come closer. Balthus and Caspar approach.

"What happened?" Caspar asks, "Are you hurt?"

"She's fine. Just a little overwhelmed," says Leonie. She holds tight to the woman.

"Let's get her back to the caravan. The rest are waiting for us," Balthus states. He holds his hand out to help them up. Leonie takes it, pulling Constance up with her. The woman goes limp in her arms and sinks to the ground.

"Just leave me here for the vultures. It's what I deserve," Constance mumbles.

"You have to come with us," Caspar replies, kneeling down next to her.

"I won't."

He looks up to Balthus who gives him an uncomfortable look. He then glances at Leonie who is even less helpful.

"We need to go back. We're not leaving you here."

"Please leave me here. I implore you to leave me be," Constance begs, "Take Leonie with you."

Leonie feels her heart sink at that statement.

Balthus grows impatient. "Miss Nuvelle we need to go. We're on a schedule. Please get up."

"Then, carry me if you must. My muscles cannot move on their own any longer," Constance answers.

"If it's gonna be that way, then I better not hear any complaining." He scoops up the woman into her arms much like one would carry a young cow to the slaughter. No one says a word the entire way back.

\----

As expected, they arrive in Adrestia by nightfall. However, it is much too late to visit the Gloucester manor, so Constance gets one more night before her funeral. They settle into a local tavern. The woman can barely walk; she is so miserable.

"Keep a close eye on her," Khalid whispers to Leonie while Constance is out of earshot. He glances toward her, making sure she is still within eyesight. "And keep your gun unloaded."

"I won't let anything happen to her," Leonie says.

"I put her in your capable hands. Don't let me down."

"I won't. I promise."

Constance leans weakly against a wall, refusing to take part in dinner. No one comments on it. No one knows why. Leonie can barely stomach her own food. She only eats out of pure necessity.

Leonie ends up carrying the poor woman to their room. She swipes a loaf of bread and stuffs it in her satchel. No one needs to know. Besides, Constance will need it.

"Coco, I'm sorry it's come to this," Leonie says, setting her down on the bed.

"It's okay. It's not your fault," Constance replies, still visibly distraught. She fights back tears. "I'll accept my fate soon enough."

Leonie squeezes her hand. She wants to say anything, but the words refuse to come out. A tear rolls down her cheek. "I'm really sorry, Constance. I really am."

"Leonie, stop apologizing." Constance sits up. “This is just how life is.”

"No. I should be doing something, but I'm not. I've been trying to think of something. Anything. I just don't know how to help you."

"There is nothing you can do. I'm just happy you gave me one week to feel like myself. That's the most I could ask for." She brings her hand up to cup the other woman's cheek. She wipes away the tear with her thumb. "Let's just enjoy our last moment together."

"No."

"No?"

"I don't want this to be the last time I see you. Especially like this," Leonie says with a sudden change of heart, "I'm fixing this right now."

"You don't have to. Really, Leonie. It's fine. I'll be okay."

"No. I will. I'm tired of moping around. I can't sit by and let you live a life you hate. I love you, goddammit, and I'm going to save you even if it kills me."

She roughly flips Constance over on the bed, pinning her arms behind her back and pressing her head into the mattress. She holds the woman in place with her knee. 

“Uh, may I ask what you are doing?” Constance asks worriedly, words muffled by the blankets. 

“The one thing I know how to do,” Leonie says, putting a piece of rope between her teeth. She starts wrapping it tightly around Constance’s wrists. 

“Which is?” 

“I’m a cowboy. I tie up cattle and take them somewhere else.” 

“Leonie, I am not a cow you can just pick up and carry as you please! Put me down at once!” 

“If you kick, I’m tying your legs too.” 

“Leonie!” 

Leonie throws the woman over her shoulder, carrying her much like one would carry a baby cow. Despite Constance's protests, she does not put her down.

"Where are we going?" Constance asks exasperatedly.

"What's it look like?" Leonie answers, "We're leaving."

"I don't know what weird fantasy of yours this is, but people are really gonna get the wrong idea if they see this."

"They won't get the wrong idea at all, Coco. This is exactly what it looks like." She carefully opens the door. "I'm kidnapping you."

"You're kidnapping me?"

"If we ran away together, we'd both be in trouble. If I kidnap you, then I'm the only one with a bounty on my head."

"This is a crazy idea. It's never going to work." 

"It's still worth a try."

"Are the ropes really necessary?" Constance responds.

"Yes. I'll add a gag too if you can't keep quiet," Leonie threatens her, a slight playfulness in her tone. For a dire situation, she still needs to find enjoyment in the little things.

"Hey, you can't just do this! I'm not going anywhere!" She protests still.

"This is your one chance at freedom. Just trust me."

"I am having trouble doing so, but I will try harder. And please do not gag me. This is already humiliating enough."

"The gag would be funny, though.”

“Leonie, if you do that, I’m not coming with you.”

“Okay! Okay!”

Leonie peeks out of the doorway. By now, everyone has retreated to their rooms for the night. Not a soul is in sight. And with no windows, the hallway is shrouded in an inky black.

The door shuts quietly behind them. Leonie sneaks through the dark to Dorothea's room. All the while, Constance hangs over her back. Oddly enough, a light comes out from underneath the door. Leonie finds it strange that Dorothea would be up in the dead of the night, but she does not have time to question things.

Gently, she raps on the door, just enough to garner the attention of her friend without waking the neighbors. There is a small commotion, and eventually, the door cracks open. Dorothea peeks out, only opening the door further when she sees her friend.

"This better be good. I'm in the middle of something," she says.

"Something or someone?" Leonie replies with a playful smirk. Crisis or not, she can never turn down an opportunity to tease her friend.

"I meant sleep, Leonie. Now, you better tell me what's going on before I bend you over and make you regret waking me."

"I'm kidnapping Coco."

"You're what?" Comes two voices at once. Leonie peeks over Dorothea's head to see Edelgard hiding under the covers. She immediately pulls them back up, face red with embarrassment.

Dorothea sighs and swings the door open, "Keep your voice down, and get in here."

Leonie steps inside, awkwardly avoiding eye contact with Edelgard and her suspicious lack of clothing. Constance remains on her back, tied up like a prize.

“Oh my god. You were serious about kidnapping her,” Dorothea gasps when she sees the poor woman, “Leonie, can you please explain to me what the hell has gotten into you?"

Her friend reasons with her as best she can, "It's the only way I can help her. I steal her away, and they'll put a bounty on me, not her. It'll keep her safe. I’m technically still doing my job."

"Leonie, this is the wildest idea you've ever had."

"Yeah, and?"

"And I love it. I'll go steal a horse. Or I could make a diversion." Dorothea looks to Edelgard, a wild look in her eyes. "Are you coming with me?"

"We're kidnapping a nobleman's daughter?" Edelgard asks.

"Yeah."

"It's the only way to save her from a life of misery," Leonie pleads, "I'm not asking for much, but I at least ask you to lead them in the wrong direction."

"I'll do more than just that." Edelgard stands up and holds her hand out. "Consider me your ally."

Leonie firmly takes her hand. "Thank you."

It turns out Edelgard is good at making plans. What starts as a spur of the moment idea, quickly evolves into much more. Dorothea is quite the actress. She stays behind for the sake of misleading. Luckily for them, it is one of her favorite pastimes. Edelgard gathers supplies for them to run away and designates a meeting point for them outside of town. Leonie does her best to carry Constance out of the inn without anyone catching her. As she picks her up, Constance nudges her.

"May I speak now?” She asks.

“Just a little while longer.”

Only the moon shines down in the night. Leonie can barely make out one thing from another. She makes her way to the stables to meet Edelgard. Constance follows close behind her. Instead, she finds someone else.

"Where do you think you're going?" Khalid asks, casually leaning against a post.

Leonie's heart drops. She tries to act confident, but her whole body quivers. "I'm leaving, and I'm taking her with me."

"You really like her, don't you?"

"I'm kidnapping her. She's worth more as a ransom than a wife,” Leonie says.

"Ah, that's what it is! Leonie, you're a great liar." Khalid holds his hands up in surrender and steps aside. "Well, they can’t say I didn’t try to stop you."

"Thank you," Leonie whispers. She gives him a quick nod of respect before rushing into the stables.

As expected, Edelgard has everything ready for them. There are enough provisions to last them a couple days. Leonie notices a box of ammunition tucked in with everything else.

"Coco," Leonie says, unclipping her gun holster, "I have something for you."

She holds it out to her. Constance looks at it confusedly.

"Why?" She asks.

"You're the only one out of the two of us who knows how to use it between the two of us. It'll be more useful at your hip than mine. Please take it."

"I would, but you still have me bound by these ropes."

"Oh! I forgot about that. My bad." Leonie pulls out her knife and quickly frees her. Constance rubs her wrists.

“Thank you,” she says quietly.

Leonie climbs up on the horse and holds her hand out. “Don’t thank me yet. I’m still kidnapping you.”

With a snap of the reins, the horse gallops out of the stable. Constance hands tight to Leonie’s waist, resting her head between her shoulder blades. They disappear into the night.

Hooves pound against the ground. A cloud of dust kicks up behind them. Leonie does not slow down until Adrestia is a mere speck in the distance. They slow down, and find a quiet place off the road to rest for a while. Constance falls to her knees, looking ready to cry tears of joy. Leonie takes a seat next to her, putting a blanket around the two of them.

“So this is what freedom feels like,” Constance says. Her voice cracks as she holds back tears.

“Yep. Complete with having no money and barely any food,” Leonie responds, “But at least the company is good.”

“Leonie, I don’t think you understand. I feel… wonderful. I’ve never felt happier in my entire life than I have in this moment right now. I could cry.”

“Please don’t cry. You’ll make me cry.”

“It’s too late for that.” The tears start to roll down her face. Leonie feels herself tearing up as well.

“What did I just say?”

“I know what you told me. I’m just overcome with so many emotions right now. My body isn’t sure how to react.”

Leonie throws an arm around the other woman. “You’ll get used to it.”

Constance leans into her. “I sure hope so.”

\----

The couple trots into town. Constance glances around nervously. Although news travels slow, Leonie cannot help but feel paranoid. She adjusts her hat and presses on to her destination. Diversions can only hold off the truth for long. Still, not one passerby pays them any attention as they dismount by the tavern. Leonie ties the horse to a stockade.

The doors swing open with a creak. This early in the morning, the tavern is barely populated. Not a single soul inhabits the building except for the lone bartender. Leonie steps inside, acting as if she is right at home. And she is. She marches up to the bar and sits down. A familiar face greets her.

“Hey, Dorothea,” Leonie says with a cheerful grin. It’s a relief to see her friend again. “I’ll have the usual.”

“I see even after an entire trip’s worth of character development, you haven’t changed a bit,” Dorothea answers, “At least tell me you have enough to cover the tab this time?”

“I mean, I kind of forfeited my payment when I ran off with the bride to be.”

She pulls the beer away, giving it instead to Constance. “I can’t believe you have the gall to show up here with no money. Don’t you remember what I told you last time?”

“I’ve been living off the land for the past week and a half! Cut me some slack!” Leonie reasons with her. Constance stares at her mug of beer confusedly.

“I told them you got eaten by a bobcat, and this is the thanks I get?” Dorothea huffs, “I had the sheriff wrapped around my finger. He didn’t suspect a thing.”

“I got eaten by a bobcat?”

“Yes. Edelgard said faking your death is more effective than a fake kidnapping. We even went through the trouble of coming up with evidence.”

“Dear, god, Dorothea. Did you kill a man?”

She shrugs. “Wouldn’t be the first time.”

Leonie cannot tell if she is being serious. Her gut instincts believe her without a second thought. “ _Who_?”

“Oh, c’mon, Leonie. We just found something the vultures were eating and said it was you. I sobbed and everything, Leonie. I was like a widow mourning her dead husband. You should have been there.”

“Damn. I was hoping my death would have been a little more... climatic.”

“Eaten by two bobcats, then?”

“No!”

Constance snorts. “Maybe you fell into a prairie dog hole.”

“You guys are mean,” Leonie says with a huff, “Why did I even bother coming back?”

“Because you love me.” Dorothea smiles sweetly at her.

“You’re right. I do. I’d go to the ends of the world for you.”

“Are you flirting with me in front of your girlfriend?” Her friend gasps, “How scandalous!”

“What? No.” Leonie panics.

“It’s okay. I would too if I were in your place,” Constance says.

“Coco, that is _not_ helping.”

“What? She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen!”

“What about me?”

She taps her chin in thought. “You’re more handsome than pretty.”

Dorothea agrees, “She makes a good point. Also, you really think I’m pretty?”

“Of course I do!” Constance exclaims, “Your hair looks so soft. I want nothing more than to run my hands through it and perhaps braid it.”

“If you weren’t taken, I would be all over you, dear.”

“Watch it,” Leonie barks.

“You can watch if you’d like.” Dorothea smiles deviously. “As she braids my hair, that is.”

“Can you stop flirting with us for two seconds?”

“Why?”

“Because I missed you! Let me be sappy for once, goddammit.”

“Okay. I’ll let you be sappy. But it comes at a price-”

Leonie groans. “Oh, god.”

“I just want a hug, you bastard. Get over here.” Dorothea opens her arms.

Her friend awkwardly leans over the bar to hug her back. “I think there’s an easier way to do this.”

“Shush, my dear. Just enjoy this moment.” She reaches a hand out to grab Constance as well. The blonde ends up climbing atop the bar to join the hug. Despite her protests, Leonie does enjoy the moment. Enough to almost bring her to tears. She grabs tight to the other two, never wanting to lose them again.  
\

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thats all i have in me to write even though i have a lot of ideas as to how it goes afterward  
> i hope u enjoyed and uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh stay cool yall are the best! B)

**Author's Note:**

> this fic was made possible by viewers like you :) thank you :)  
> lol anyway if u want more gay yeehaw nonsense i will direct you over to my [twitter](https://twitter.com/_vulpixel)  
> i hope yall have a nice evening ^-^


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